1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

2. Read and Prepare
- Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

It’s time to go to sleep. Do you reach for the light switch, or reach for your book?

Many people find that reading before bed helps them calm down, relax, and get sleepy. Also, it can be hard to fit reading into our busy, modern lives, so bedtime can be a good opportunity to get some time with your book.

Learn reading English and find out what Jason and Vanessa’s bedtime reading habits are in this English lesson.

该休息了。你是会关灯，还是伸手拿一本书来读？

很多人发现，睡觉前读书有助于镇静、放松，让人昏昏欲睡。另外，在忙碌的现代生活中很难抽出时间读书，那么睡前便是享受读书时光的最佳时刻。

学习阅读英语，并在这堂英语课中了解詹森和瓦内萨有什么睡前阅读习惯。

Dialog

1. Listen and Read
- Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

2. Study
- Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Vanessa: You know, I’m sure it’s good and all, but I mostly like to read before bed and I’m not sure if I want anything that intense.

Jason: Oh yeah, that might not make for the best dreams. That’s when you do most of your reading, before bed?

Vanessa: I do, yeah, I find it relaxes me after the day and calms me down. I love reading in bed. I got a special little lamp that goes beside my bed that I can turn over and switch it off and go right to sleep!

Jason: Oh yeah. I don’t know, I feel like bed isn’t the most comfortable place to read sometimes. Sometimes I get really excited by what I’m reading and I feel like it would actually keep me up.

Vanessa: I think reading in bed is fine. I guess I just turn over on my side and read the book for a while…I think you have to choose what you read before bed pretty carefully, though.

Jason: Yeah. Well, I just started reading The Aeneid, so maybe I’ll find something a little lighter for bedtime reading.

Vanessa: Well, it seems like that would put you to sleep pretty easy though!

Quizzes

Lesson MP3

Discussion

Vanessa asks Jason if he has read any good books lately. He suggests a very serious Russian novel. Since Vanessa typically reads before bed, she thinks that might not be the best choice.

Jason doesn’t like to read in bed. He thinks it’s uncomfortable and might keep him up. Vanessa loves it though. She likes to read until she’s sleepy, then turn out the light, roll over, and fall asleep.

Do you like to read before bed? What kind of books do you think make good bedtime reading?

Comments

Hello! I am from the Philippines and this is actually my first time to come across this website. I find this specific topic very interesting because of the different persepctives we have. Some really find it comforting and satisfying to read in bed while some really can’t manage to read while lying down. And I am one of those who do not find comfort in reading in bed. So to Vanessa, I envy you because sometimes when things get pretty hectic, reading in bed can be the last resort. Lucky you, you’re used to that!

And before I forget, to those who read in bed, what genre of books do you prefer to read? Does the intensity of the story affects your sleep?

I normally read books on the weekends or during my break time at work, and I don’t have the habit of reading before bed. Moreover I share a room with my sister and she does not like to have the light on when she is sleeping, though.

nowadays that i have to read hard for my exams and when i have no more time and its late ,sometimes i have to read in bed it is a little hard to focus cuz i feel sleepy and when i wake up its already morning..lol

I like in bed reading endorsement, however, this is all and learn about. Finish the homework already 11:30 PM ，I need endorsed on the table, I felt very oppressive feeling, although an endorsement in bed is bad for your eyesight, but my teachers are very advocate our endorsement on the bed.

i like reading in my bed but not studying!i remember once i had an important exam and i was studying in bed,i slept there,and when i opened my eyes i realized i have not finished it!it was awful and streesful!as i remember teacher didnt take the exam that day!i was too lucky!”:)

maybe some people can read in bed but i think in can make you sleepy and you cant concentrate on what you read. infact whenever i read in my bed i fell asleep and after waking up i could not remember any thing from what i had read.

I sometimes read before bed, especially when I’m not so tired and sleepy or when I want to relax to fall asleep. It feels nice because at night everything is quiet and I feel like I can really imagine the story in my mind :D

These days I’m reading the book Como el río que fluye by Paulo Coelho that it’s a collection of short stories with nice reflections and thoughts. For me this book makes good bedtime reading because it’s easy to read and its short stories have a deep message.

I don’t know if it is good or bad to read before bed but I do it quite often. That’s probably because it’s really hard to fit in reading during the day, especially if we talk about working days. I usually read for half an hour but when I happen to get into my hand something extraordinary i can spend the entire night without sleep at all reading that piece of literature.